2015-12-07
Thank you, Prime Minister for the warm welcome and hospitality.
I am really happy to be here in your beautiful country which has been a close friend of Georgia throughout centuries. It gives me utmost pleasure that we are bound through history. The Bachkovo Monastery, one of the largest and oldest Eastern Orthodox monasteries in Europe, is a symbol of unique combination of Georgian and Bulgarian cultures united by the common faith. It has served as a bridge between our nations, andI am very delighted to note that mutual respect and understanding is steadily maintained ever since.
Today, during our meeting it was underlined that we enjoy very successful cooperation in different fields, where transport and trade represent the main sectors. However, our countries have even great potential for developing tighter economic relations. In this regard, the joint economic commission, which that will be held at the end of January 2016, will greatly contribute to this process.
During our meeting with the Prime Minister, we discussed many interesting topics that relate to both countries, seeking ways to strengthen our relations in various fields, how to improve and enhance our economic and trade relationships, as well as our cooperation in strategic fields.
We immensely value the strong support of Bulgaria for Georgia's European and Euro-Atlantic integration.
European integration remains a cornerstone of Georgia's foreign and domestic policy. Your experience will be very helpful for us, so very much appreciate you for sharing your experience with us in various fields. I also underline and reiterate my gratitude for your support of Georgia's European aspirations.
We also discussed the visa liberalization action plan, which has already been completed by our side, and we very much hope that the European Commission will give us a final approval. In this process, we enjoy strong support from Bulgaria, and I want to thank the Prime Minister for his strong support.
We also discussed transport cooperation. We spoke about the Silk Road initiative and ways to engage Georgia and Bulgaria. We also spoke about other strategic issues and ways to increase Georgia's role in this corridor, and I once again underlined to the Prime Minister that Georgia was, and would always remain, Bulgaria's reliable partner.
We are grateful for Bulgaria's engagement in the process of implementation of the elements of the Substantial Package which we received at the Wales Summit.
During the meeting, we also focused on Georgia's future integration in North-Atlantic institutions.
On behalf of my Government, I once again thank the Prime Minister and his Government for welcoming my delegation and me in your country, and I am looking forward to see you in Tbilisi. Thank you.
Prime Minister of Georgia
Irakli Garibashili